Antigone Bournakel

March 15, 1913 - January 20, 2013

Antigone Bournakel of Lewiston, ME, passed away on January 20, 2013 at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough after a brief illness. She was 99 years old. Born in Arkadia, Greece, on March 15, 1913, to Michael and Emily Lysikatos, she was the sixth of ten children. Antigone came to the U.S. in 1935, as a young bride. She and her husband, Spiro Bournakel, settled in Lewiston where they raised three children. In addition to being a loving wife and mother, grandmother, sister and aunt to her family, Antigone was an active, faithful, and devoted member of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church community. The depth of her faith and dedication to the church was exemplified over 75 years of service, as she lent her talents to every need of the church. In 2002, Antigone received a Boston Diocesan Award for her service to the church community. Antigone was the spiritual and emotional center of her family, raising her three children and maintaining intimate connections with her grandchildren as well as all of her relatives throughout her life. Antigone and Spiro always took time to support their families in Greece; after WWII, bringing nephews from Greece into their home where they completed their schooling; and later, sponsoring other family members to relocate to the U.S. Along with dinners and holidays surrounded by her children and grandchildren, Antigone loved cooking and hosting family and friends at Tacoma Lakes in Litchfield, ME, as well as spending time in Livadi, Greece, with her beloved family, near the village of Melana where she grew up. Antigone's loving, generous heart and positive spirit will be forever missed by her family, friends, and all who had the good fortune of knowing her. Predeceased by her husband of 46 years in 1981, her son, Charles Bournakel in 2012, and her grandson, Stefan Bournakel in 2004, she is survived by her son, George Bournakel of Yarmouth, ME and his wife, Kay; her daughter, Angela Bournakel of Yarmouth; her daughter-in-law, Kiki Bournakel of Lewiston; and her sister, Fani Alexandrou of Athens, Greece. She is also survived by four grandchildren: Dean Bournakel of Largo, FL, Christina Bournakel of Portland, ME, Christopher Bournakis of Auburn, ME, and Nicholas Bournakel of Portland; one great-grandchild, Nicos Bournakel of Kentfield, CA; and many nieces and nephews. In recent years, Antigone lived with her daughter in Yarmouth, and for the last two and a half years, she was a resident at Falmouth By The Sea, in Falmouth, ME. The family wishes to thank the staff at Falmouth By The Sea for the wonderful care and support that they provided to Antigone in her last years, and to Gosnell Memorial Hospice House for the comfort provided to her in her last days of life.